Page "belles_lettres" Paragraph 973

Heat during the Atlanta campaign, coupled with unsuitable clothing, caused individual irritation that was compounded by a lack of opportunity to bathe and shift into clean clothing.

To relieve the itch and sweat galls, the men got into the water whenever they could and since each sizable stream was generally the dividing line between the armies the pickets declared a private truce while the men went swimming.

Johnston believed that Sherman put his naked engineers into the swimming parties to locate the various fords.

Lieutenant Colonel James P. Brownlow, who commanded the First Brigade of Thomas' First Cavalry Division, was ordered across one of these fords.

The water was deep and Brownlow took his troopers across naked -- except for guns, cartridge boxes and hats.

They kicked their horses through the deep water with their bare heels, drove the Rebels out of their rifle pits and captured four men.

Most of the Rebels got away since they could make better time through the stiff brush than their naked pursuers.